MUMBAI, INDIA, January 17, 2011: The United Commercial (UCO) Bank has opened the country’s first lockless branch at Shani Shinganapur in Maharashtra. Shani Shinganapur is a small village in Ahmednagar district whose presiding Deity is Lord Shani. More than 5,000 devotees visit the temple every day, while on weekends the number crosses the 100,000 mark.<\/p>\n
Local NCP legislator Shankar Gadakh said bank officials carefully studied households in the township before starting the branch. ‘All houses here have no doors. We are following a more or less similar practice. Our branch has doors, but they will never be locked. Adequate precautions are being taken for the safety of lockers and important documents,’ he said, adding that in months to come, the branch is planning to start an ATM near the temple.<\/p>\n
Gadakh explained that, by and large, it is believed that because of Lord Shani’s power, the village has not witnessed a single theft or robbery in the recent past. ‘People here fear that if there is a theft or robbery, then the culprit and their family have to bear the wrath of Lord Shani,’ he said.<\/p>\n